Valance or the like



1943- R. c. PRATT 2,332,339 I VALANCE OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 1, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 z KZ Z- z/ 7 4d JIIHHHIII; l llllilllll "Hlln.

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ATTORNEY.

Oct. 19, 1943. .R. c. PRATT VALANCE OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 1, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Il lllwlllwllll uvlllllllll/ll I INVENTOR. M ymo f zzzz c: @h g. 97%

ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct 19, 1943 UNITED STATE-S? PATENT OFFICE 2,332,339 I I l 'VALANCE-OR THE. LIKE Raymond Pratt, Chicago, Ill. 7 Application-August 1, 1940, Serial No. 349,347 (c ao-57.5)

g '7 Claims.

This invention relates to valances of the type used in store windows for ornamentalpurposes and also for shielding th lights used for illuminating the windows. Certain features of the invention are also adapted for other purposes such as for awnings or the like, screens or backgrounds for windows.

lThe principal object of this invention is to provide a valance preferably of the Venetian blind type which will be particularly pleasing and attractive in appearance, which may be readily installed, and which may be adjusted-'so'that it will be out of the way when the windows are to be cleaned.

Other objects are to provide a device of this kind in which the main portion may be readily detached from the support; to provide improved slats; to provide novel rails or bars and hooks or clamping means for detachably holding the slats and to provide such other novel features of construction and improvements in operation as will appear more fully from the following description. In the accompanying drawings illustratingthis invention. I

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a windowas seen from the inside of a room with my improved valance in position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig.4;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail taken approximately on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail side View of one of the supporting brackets;

Fig. 6 is a front view of the part shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged sectional detail taken approximately on the line 'l-l of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a front View of the parts shown in Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a cross section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a perspective detail of a bearing member.

The window frame or housing 8 illustrates generally any window opening such as a display window which is provided with lights (not shown) for illuminating goods in the window. Brackets it) and II are secured to the top of the window frame or other fixed portion of the building and serve to support the valance proper. The bracket H has a shaft l2 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings in the bracket and provided at. its inner end with a worm l3 and at its outer end with a knob or handle it forturning the same. The

member [6 has a slot or key-hole opening [8 for.

receiving a fiat tang or projection I 9 on a bracket 20 which is secured to the top bar 2! of the valance. I V

The opposite end of the bar 2! is provided with another bracket 22 having a pivot or trunnion 23 which engages with a slot or recess 24 in the bracket l5. A catch 25 is pivotally mounted at 26-on the bracket 22 and serves to hold the trunnion 23 normally in engagement with the slot or bearing 24. The slot or recess is also arranged at such an angle that the valence cannot be removed except when in predetermined position.

The bar 21 carries a plurality of rails or channels 2' having guideways 28. Hooks or fingers 29 have slide portions 36 which engage with the guideways28 and are slidable therein. The upper ends ofthese slide portions have outwardly extending projections or stops 3|. The sides of the provide a plurality of supports or holders for the slats 33. The lower ends of the hooks are bent outwardly as shown in 34 to engage with the lower edges of the slats as shown particularly in Fig. 7. The lower or free ends of the rails or channels 21 are bent forwardly or out, of alignment as shown at 35 to provide stops for the lowermost hooks or finger members 29. Each of the hooks or fingers 29 has a spring clip 36 secured thereto, as by means of rivets 31, which extend down over the outwardly projecting portions of, the hooks and coact therewith to hold the slats in position, and may serve to hold the ends of spliced slats. The projections 3| of the lower hooks are engaged by the outwardly extending portions of the next succeeding hooks whereby the hooks are held in predetermined spaced positions. Screws 38 and 39 serve to fasten the rails 21 to the bar 2| and the screws 39.

suitable material may be used in my improved valance, but instead of the usual wooden slats, I may utilize the novel forms shown in which the main portion or strip forming the slat 33 is made of plastic material, metal, wood or the like and may be either transparent, opaque, or translucent. The slat is bound along the edges with U-shape binding strips 40. These strips are preferably made of extruded metal and placed in engagement with the edges of the slats and then rolled or pressed in position whereby the strips will firmly bind the edges of the slats and will serve to reinforce, stiffen and protect the same.

The valance when placed in the usual manner on the inside of the window will be arranged with the rails or channels 21 vertical, and the slats will be properly positioned to perform their usual functions in the way of cutting off the light and also serving to ornament the window. When the window is. to be cleaned, the operator may turn the knob 14 which will swing the top bar 2! with the parts attached thereto out of vertical position or to a horizontal position as shown in Fig. 2 thus leaving the window clear. This adjustment may also be used when the device is placed on the utside of the window and utilized as an awning. If it is desired to remove the valance, the catch 25 is swung to position to free the trunnion 23 and the trunnion may then be drawn out of the slot 24 which will permit the tang or projection IE to be drawn out of the slot I8 and thus free the top bar with the parts attached thereto. It will also be noted that the individual slats may be readil removed for cleaning or the like by slipping them out from under the spring fingers.

While I have shown and described a valance or the like embodying the essential features of my invention, changes may be made in the construction. and in the arrangement of the parts in order to adapt the same for different windows or uses, therefore, I do not wish to be limitedto the particular construction shown and described except as specified in the following claims.

I claim: I

1. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of brackets adapted to be secured to a window frame member, a bar pivotally mounted in said brackets, means coacting with one of the brackets and with the bar for swinging the bar, and light retarding and deflecting means carried by the bar and extending downwardly therefrom.

2. In a valance, the combination of a pair of supporting brackets, a bar pivotally and detachably connected with said brackets, Worm and gear means coacting with one of the brackets and the bar for adjustably swinging the bar on its pivots, rails secured to said bar and slats carried by said rails.

3. A device as per claim 2, having a worm mounted in one of the brackets, a U- haped bearing member pivotally mounted in the bracket, and having one branch provided with gear teeth engaging with the worm and the other branch having a slot therein, and a bracket secured to the bar and having a projection engaging with said slot for the purposes described.

4. In a valance, the combination of a supporting bar, a plurality of channels each having grooves therein carried by said bar, hook members slidably mounted in said grooves, slats severally engaging with opposite pairs of hooks, and clips coacting with the hooks for holding the slats in position.

5. A valance comprising a bar or plate, a plurality of rails secured to said bar, said rails havin under-cut grooves therein, hook strips sliclably mount in said grooves, means on said hook strips for holding the same in spaced position in the rails, stops at the free ends of the rails for holding the lower-most hook strips, spring clipscarried by each of said hook strips, and slats engaging with the hook strips and held in position by the spring clips.

6. A hook -member for a valance, comprising a straight supporting portion having a projection at one end thereof, and a slat holding portion bent at an angle to the straight portion and having notches in the sides thereof at the bend, and a spring clip secured to said straight supporting portion, and coacting with the slat holding portion.

7. In a valance, the combination of a bar, a rail having a groove therein carried by said bar, hook members slidably mounted in said groove, slats severally engaging with said hooks and clips coacting with the hooks for holding the slats in position.

RAYMOND C. PRATT. 

